Adjustable clothesline prop



May 20, 1941. I V s HAMMAR 2,242,609

- ADJUSTABLE 'CLOTHESLINE PROP I '3 Filed NOV. 3, '1939- I Samuel LPaiented May 20, i941 sr'res m ADJUSTABLE CLOTHESLINE PRoP Samuel HJHammar, Stambaugh, Mich. Application November 3, 1939, Serial No. 302,756 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-353) bers, one of which is provided with means for engagement with a clothes line and the other with a piercing point that contacts with the ground or other support, means being provided for clamping said members in' any selected position of vertical adjustment.

A further object is to form the line-engaging member of the prop with inwardly extending fingers, the ends of which are spaced apart to receive a clothes line whereby to prevent accidental displacement of the prop after being positioned on said clothes line.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawing forming 'a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an adjustable clothes prop constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the same positioned on a. clothes line,

Figure 2 isa vertical sectional view, partly in elevation,

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation, partly in section, showing a rubber cap fitted to the lower end of the clothes prop, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation; partly in section, illustrating a modified form of the invention.

The improved adjustable prop forming the subject-matter of the present invention comprises telescopic members 5 and 6, the outer member 5 being in the form of a metal tube of the desired length and the inner member 6 in the form of a solid rod slidably mounted within the tube 5. The upper or free end of the rod 6 is bifurcated to form coacting inwardly extending fingers I, the inner ends of which are spaced apart at 8 to receive a clothes line, indicated at 9, thereby to prevent accidental displacement of the prop after it has been properly positioned on the clothes line. The lower end of the outer member or tube 5 is closed and terminates in a piercing point 10 adapted to enter the ground immediately beneath the clothes line i so that the upper end of the prop engages theline and the lower end thereof is anchored in the ground. Spaced inwardly from the piercing point 10 is an annular stop flange H preferably formed integral with the tube 5 and which by contact with the ground not only serves to hmit the depth of penetration cf the pointed end of the tube but also assists in anchoring the ground-engaging end of the prop.

Spaced inwardly from the upper end of the tube 5 is a laterally extending boss 82 having a threaded opening formed therein for the reception of a correspondingly threaded clamping screw I3 which serves to lock the telescopic members 5 and 6 in any selected position of vertical adjustment.

In operation, the fingers I are positioned over the clothes line 9 and. the latter elevated to the desired position by adjusting the rod 6 vertically within the tube 5, after which the parts are securely clamped in adjusted position by tightening the screw l3. In order to lower the line 9,

r it is merely necessary to loosen the screw l 3 when the weight of the inner member or rod 8 will cause the same to slide by gravity within the outer member or tube 5 carrying with it the clothes line 9 so as to enable the clothes to be readily detached therefrom. When the clothes prop is not in use, the inner member 6 is pressed downwardly within the outer member 5 until the fingers l bear against the upper end of the memher 5 and in which position it is securely held by tightening the screw l3, as will be readily understood.

When the adjustable prop isused indoors, I provide a rubber tip or cap it which fits over the pointed end of the outer member 5, as best shown in Figure 3- of the drawing, and serves to prevent slipping on concrete'or scratching or otherwise marring the surface of a floor.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention, in which the inner ends of the fingers l5 are exteriorly threaded at it for engagement with correspondingly threaded sleeves l l, the inner ends of which are spaced apart, as shown. Fitted'withinthe sleeves l l are coiled springs it which bear against contact members or buttons l8 so as to yieldably hold said contact members in engagement with each other. The contact members or buttons is are provided with stop flanges 26 which engage the inturned ends 2i of the sleeves IT and clothes line, thereby retracting the buttons 2| against the tension 0! the springs II and permittingthe clothes line to enter the chamber formed by the fingers Ii. In order to remove the prop, it is merely n to press the line a ainst the buttons II when said buttons will be moved laterally against the tension of the springs II and allow the prop to be readily detached from the clothes line.

It will, of course, be understood that the clothes propmaybemadeindiii'erentsizesandshapes and constructed 01 any suitable material without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An adjustable clothes-prop comprising vertically adjustable inner and outer members, inwardly extending lingers formed on the upper end of the inner member and provided with threaded portions, correspondingly threaded sleeves engasing said threaded portions, contact buttons fitting within the sleeves, coiled springs housed within the sleeves and y a ly ensuing the buttons,

and means for clamping said members in a selective position of vertical adjustment.-

- 2.An adjustable clothes prop comprising telescopic members, one of which is provided with a yieldably engaging the flanges oi the buttons for normally holding the semi-spherical heads thereoi in contact with each other, and a clamping screw enga ing the threads in the boss and bearing against the adjacent member {or holding said members in d-iiierent positions of vertical adjustment.

SAMUEL H. HAMMAR. 

